1971 in television
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See also: 1970 in television, other events of 1971, 1972 in television and the list of 'years in television'.
For the American network television schedule, please see 1971-72 American network television schedule.
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Events
- January 3 - BBC Open University broadcasts begin in the UK.
- May - CBS debuts its schedule for the fall 1971 season, and cancels, in the words of Max Baer, Jr., "every show that had a tree in it." Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, Mayberry R.F.D., and Hee Haw all end production. The latter show continued on for two decades in syndication.
- June 6 - The Ed Sullivan Show goes off the air.
- November - Top-rated As the World Turns loses the #1 slot in the daytime Nielsens for the first time since 1959.
- December 31 - The final cigarette advertisement airs on US television.
- The Selling of the Pentagon documentary airs on CBS.
- Michael Zaslow first appears as Roger Thorpe on The Guiding Light.
Debuts
- January 10 - Masterpiece Theatre debuts on PBS (1971-present).
- January 12 - All in the Family premieres (1971-1979).
- October 2 - Soul Train, the African-American equivalent to American Bandstand, premieres (1971-present).
- The New Dick Van Dyke Show premieres (1971-1974).
- The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour premieres (1971-1974).
- NBC Mystery Movie premieres (1971-1977) as a wheel show featuring:
- McCloud (premiered in 1970);
- McMillan and Wife (1971-1977);
- Columbo (1971-1978);
- Old Grey Whistle Test (premiered in the UK) (1971-1987).
Television shows
- Meet the Press (1947-present).
- Candid Camera (1948-present).
- Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
- Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
- Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
- Love of Life (1951-1980).
- Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
- American Bandstand (1952-1989).
- The Guiding Light (1952-present).
- The Today Show (1952-present).
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
- The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
- Face the Nation (1954-present).
- The Secret Storm (1954-1974).
- The Tonight Show (1954-present).
- Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
- Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955-1976).
- Gunsmoke (1955-1975).
- The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982).
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
- As the World Turns (1956-present).
- Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978).
- The Edge of Night (1956-1984).
- What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
- The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
- Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
- Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
- Bonanza (1959-1973).
- Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
- My Three Sons (1960-1972).
- Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
- The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
- Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
- Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
- General Hospital (1963-present).
- The Doctors (1963-1982).
- Another World (1964-1999).
- Bewitched (1964-1972).
- Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
- Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
- Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
- The Dean Martin Show (1965-1974).
- Tom and Jerry (1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982)
- World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
- Play School (1966-present).
- The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
- The Newlywed Game (1966-1974).
- Ironside (1967-1975).
- Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967-1973).
- Mannix (1967-1975).
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
- 60 Minutes (1968-present).
- Dad's Army (UK) (1968-1977).
- Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
- Here's Lucy (1968-1974).
- Laugh-In (1968-1973).
- Magpie (UK) (1968-1980).
- One Life to Live (1968-present).
- The Doris Day Show (1968-1973).
- The Mod Squad (1968-1973).
- Bright Promise (1969-1972).
- Hee Haw (1969-1993).
- Love, American Style (1969-1974).
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969-1973).
- Monty Python's Flying Circus (UK) (1969-1974).
- Room 222 (1969-1974).
- Sesame Street (1969-present).
- The Benny Hill Show (1969-1989).
- The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
- The Clangers (UK) (1969-1972).
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979).
- Where the Heart Is (1969-1973).
- All My Children (1970-present).
- Doomwatch (UK) (1970-1972).
- Mary Tyler Moore (1970-1977).
- McCloud (1970-1977).
- Monday Night Football (1970-present).
- Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984).
- The Flip Wilson Show (1970-1974).
- The Odd Couple (1970-1975).
- The Partridge Family (1970-1974).
Ending this year
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971).
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971).
- Green Acres (1965-1971).
- Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971).
- Dark Shadows (1966-1971).
- Family Affair (1966-1971).
- That Girl (1966-1971).
- Julia (1968-1971).
- Mayberry R.F.D. (1968-1971).
- The Johnny Cash Show (1969-1971).
- Josie and the Pussycats (1970-1971).
- UFO (UK) (1970-1971).
Changes of network affiliation
- The Lawrence Welk Show moves from ABC to first-run syndication.
Births
- January 2 - Tess Daly, British television presenter.
- January 5 - Jayne Middlemiss, British television presenter.
- January 6 - Charlie Neil, British regional TV weather reader.
- February 16 - Amanda Holden.
- February 23 - Melinda Messenger, British television presenter and model.
- March 9 - Emmanuel Lewis.
- March 23 - Gail Porter, television presenter.
- July 7 - Dani Behr, television presenter and actress.
- July 17 - Peta Brady, actress.
- August 7 - Melanie Sykes, British television presenter.
- September 9 - Natasha Kaplinsky, British television presenter.
- September 8 - Brooke Burke.
- September 28 - Liza Walker, British actress.
- September 13 - Louise Lombard, British actress.
- September 25 - Jessie Wallace, British actress.
- October 19 - Kacey Ainsworth, British actress.
- November 25 - Christina Applegate.
- December 5 - Justine Kerrigan, British actress.
Deaths
- March 11 - Philo Farnsworth, television pioneer
- March 15 - Bebe Daniels.
- December 30 - Melba Rae, soap opera actress (Search for Tomorrow).